Released in theaters on April 12, Dungeons and Dragons: Honor of Thieves drew 1.2 million viewers in French cinemas. Coming to Blu-ray/DVD August 16th! On this occasion, AlloCiné met with directors Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Dale, accompanied by producer Jeremy Latcham.
Recall that in Dungeons and Dragons, a handsome thief and a group of dubious adventurers undertake an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic. Things go wrong when they anger the wrong people.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Thieves brings the rich world and playful spirit of the legendary role-playing game to the big screen in a fun, action-packed adventure.
AlloCiné: What can we expect with the video release of your Dungeons and Dragons: Honor of Thieves?
Jonathan Goldstein : It’s a completely different movie and completely reassembled! (laughs)
John Francis Dale : And it’s in black and white!
Jonathan : The duration of this montage is four hours! (laughs)
Jeremy Latcham : And we’ve added a recorded laugh to make you laugh when you need it.
Jonathan : Seriously, it’s the same movie. We’ve recently added behind-the-scenes footage to reveal the surreal working conditions during the pandemic. Also, due to Covid, we had a complete absence of journalists to cover what we were organizing. It’s time to reveal all our secrets. I believe this is close to all Dungeons & Dragons fans.
John : Luckily, we had a video crew to film what was going on behind the camera for the duration of the shoot. He was with us throughout and for more than 75 days. I have never seen it. This allowed us to write everything in detail.
Did you add scenes you previously cut?
Jeremy : We added some scenes with characters we eliminated to improve the fluidity of the film. There is a scene where Holga (Michelle Rodríguez) is confronted by her original tribe, who blame her for leaving the clan because she fell in love with someone.
This scene reveals a vulnerable and sensitive character that is not felt in the movie you saw in theaters. There’s also a scene where Edgin (Chris Pine) explains why he likes cutting ice cream. We highlighted the humor at the end, but it’s already there in the movie out in theaters.
What were the pros and cons of this Dungeons & Dragons production?
John : I think we were surprised by the warm reception of this film, which is one of the great strengths of this cinematic experience. We spent four long years of our lives producing this feature film and the way it was received by the fans and the public really moved us.
The big downside to this adventure was shooting during Covid!
Jeremy : The big downside to this adventure was shooting during Covid! Three times a week between tests, keeping our distance as much as possible, continuing to protect ourselves on set, etc.
All of this adds to the stress of the intense filming we’re used to. As a producer, I was very surprised by this and send all my support to John and Jonathan who did everything to make the best film possible.
Jonathan : It wasn’t easy to make this film stand out from the original perspective. The game is the passion of millions of fans. Making a movie that holds up and adds to the gaming experience is a real challenge. It was also not that easy to come up with a movie that could be watched without being a fan of the game.
Already thinking about a Dungeons and Dragons sequel?
Jeremy : We are currently working on making Dungeons and Dragons cereal! (Laughs) It’s too early to know what we’re going to do with this vast world. There are so many possibilities.
We are so proud of this film that we hope to have the opportunity to explore the possibilities of expanding the Dungeons & Dragons universe.
John : In any case, we are so proud of this film that we hope to have the opportunity to explore the possibilities to develop the world of Dungeons and Dragons. I hope, in the meantime, that the video release will allow a wider audience to discover or rediscover this film we hold so dear.
Ultimately, this is really a film about the spirit of family that drives us, that drives us all in our lives. Nothing is worth living without a family. Everything must be shared to reach the pinnacle of peace and complete happiness.
Which character do you like the most in this movie?
Jeremy : I feel closer to Edgin. Perhaps because it is the leader as the producer who has to guide the game and ensure that everything goes well during the course of the game.
John : Absolutely, as a filmmaker you have to direct the game so that the game, the shooting, goes as well as possible. Edgin is like a director in a world of dungeons and dragons. He’s not necessarily the strongest character physically, but mentally, he’s the one who knows how to lead the rest of the group to the ultimate goal of the journey, destiny.
Jonathan : I mostly identify with Simon (Justice Smith). He is an example for me. Know that in life you must always surpass yourself, learn to be better and seek the best. I always try to improve myself in my life and Simon follows this course as much as possible. You should always try to become the best version of yourself in life. This is an effort we must make every day. I hope I’m on the right track.
Interview by Emanuel Eater in Los Angeles, before the strike in Hollywood.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
